In Search of Fimbrethil
by Pervy Hobbit Fancier
Summary: The One Ring has long been destroyed.Many years have passed since the beginning of the Fourth Age.Gandalf and Frodo have gone to the Undying Lands.The rest of the Fellowship is living in peace. But Merry and Pippin have some unfinished business.Non-slash


A/N: Gandalf and Frodo have gone to the Undying Lands. Aragorn is king of Gondor. Samwise is mayor of the Shire. Legolas and Gimli are bonding in Mirkwood. The One Ring has long been destroyed and several years have passed since the beginning of the Fourth Age. But Merry and Pippin have some unfinished business to take care of. 

  
  


OH...AND I DON'T CARE IF YOU FLAME ME...JUST GIVE ME SOME SORT OF REVIEW, MMKAY?

  
  


Merry hopped onto Pippin's doorstep and tapped three times on the door. They had planned to have elevensies together earlier that day and Merry was very excited. He hadn't shared many meals with his best friend in quite some weeks. He was kept so busy being the Master of Buckland that he didn't get to spend nearly as much time with Pippin as he would like. Pippin was also very busy acting as Thain of the Shire. These were both obviously very respectable positions for any hobbit to hold, especially ones so young as them, but all work and no play had definitely put a damper on both of their social lives. Merry was getting quite tired of it. He could really go for another adventure right about now. But how could he . . . especially with all his new responsibilities? He was the Master of Buckland and also the newly wed husband to Estella Bolger. Not that he considered Estella a responsibility; He really didn't. He loved being with her. But the Tookish-ness of Pippin had obviously rubbed off on him and Merry was beginning to grow restless. The family life style just wasn't for him it seemed. 

Merry stood in front of Pippin's door for several more minutes lost in his own thoughts before he ever came to the realization that no one had answered. He knocked again, this time a little more loudly and waited for a few moments . . . but still no answer. "Pip, you home?" he shouted hoping that Pippin would hear him. But there wasn't a response. Merry was becoming a bit worried. Pippin was never late for elevensies . . . NEVER! And it was already two minutes past eleven. Something was wrong! He gave the knob a little jiggle and much to his surprise the door opened. Pippin had left it unlocked. So it only seemed fit that Merry invite himself in. Pippin surely wouldn't have minded. They were best friends after all. He walked into the hole and crept inside each of the rooms checking to see if Pippin might be residing in any of them. He had checked each room twice but there was no Pippin.

"What a shame," Merry sighed in frustration. He'd have to be getting back to work soon. He waited a few more minutes but Pippin never came. So Merry simply walked to the door again and prepared to leave. Just then the door creaked open and a hobbit walked inside. "PIPPIN," Merry shouted unable to contain his excitement. But he soon realized that it wasn't Pippin at all; It was Sam. Merry simply gave him a confused stare. He didn't know that Sam was coming. Sam then took off his jacket and hung it on one of the many coat hooks hanging in the hall.

He then stared at Merry for a moment with a vacant expression on his face and stated, "Samwise Gamgee at your service." Then with no further explanation he walked into the living room and sat in the coziest chair he could find as if he had been expected. Merry was completely taken aback. 

"Sam," he stated hurrying into the living room. "What's going on? I don't understand. What are you doing here?" He didn't mean to sound rude but he was so confused that he was at a loss for any better words at the moment. 

Sam simply looked up at him and said, "It is already several minutes into elevensies and I haven't had a bite to eat. You wouldn't happen to have any toast, would you? Maybe with a bit of jam. And perhaps some eggs, sausages, and nice crispy bacon?" Merry could not believe what he was hearing. He couldn't help but laugh at the very odd predicament he had found himself in. Maybe Sam had too much to drink . . . "But so early in the day?" he asked himself. Well, whatever the reason, Sam was here and he was hungry. So he might as well find him something to eat.

"Sam, I'm afraid that this is Pippin's hole and I don't feel right simply going through his pantries, cooking his food, and then eating it without his permission. But would you be satisfied with . . ." He fumbled through his backpack for a moment. ". . . an apple?" He pulled out the reddest, juiciest, most delicious-looking apple he could find and offered it to Sam.

"That will do just fine," Sam stated before taking the apple. Merry soon realized that Sam was right; It was already several minutes into elevensies and he had yet to eat anything. So he quickly pulled another apple out of his bag for himself. It wasn't nearly as red or juicy and it probably wasn't as delicious as the one he had given Sam but this apple would do just fine. He was about to take a bite out of it when someone knocked on the door. 

"I wonder who that could be," Merry thought aloud. "Maybe it's Pippin. But why is he knocking on the door to his own hole?" He then made his way to the door and opened it. And into the house stepped another hobbit; But it wasn't Pippin. 

"Estella Bolger at your service," the hobbit stated as she walked into Pippin's hole. She took off her jacket and hung it beside Sam's. "You wouldn't happen to have any pipe weed, would you? Oh, and I'll need a pipe as well."

Merry gave her a giant hug and then asked with an awkward smile, "Stella, what are you doing here? And do you know where Pippin is? I was supposed to meet him here for elevensies but he never showed up." She simply shook her head, not knowing where Pippin might be. 

Then Estella repeated her question once more. "Pipe weed . . . do you have any? Oh, and I would love to have a little bit of wine. And maybe some cheese to go with it." She then walked into the living room and sat down . . . as if she had been expected.

"Stella, what on Middle-earth is going on? What are you doing here?" Merry asked getting a little bit flustered but still quite amused.

"Well, nothing at the moment is going on. But if you'd bring me a pipe and some pipe weed perhaps I could get a conversation started with Mr. Gamgee. Goodness knows, you can't have a friendly conversation without having a good smoke. So do you have the pipe weed or not? And like I said before, I'll also be needing a pipe. I left mine at home. And if it's not too much trouble a glass of wine and some cheese would do me wonders."

"Uh . . . well, I don't have any cheese or any wine. When Pippin gets here I'm sure he'll be happy to bring you some. But like I told Sam, I don't feel right going through Pip's pantries. But if an apple will do, you can have mine," he said while holding out his apple. "As for pipe weed and a pipe, I have that in my bag as well." He then fumbled through his bag and pulled out a small pouch of 'Old Toby' and an extraordinarily long pipe. "Will these do," he asked while holding out the pouch and the pipe for Estella's inspection.

"Those will do fine," she stated with a grin. She then took a great big bite out of the apple and began conversing with Sam. Merry sat down in a chair across from them. He was getting very hungry. Luckily he still had one apple left in his bag. He pulled it out and was about to take a bite when suddenly a knock came at the door.

"This time it has to be Pippin," Merry thought to himself. "Who else could it be?" He walked to the door and opened it. 

"Rose Cotton at your service," the hobbit lass outside the door stated. She then walked into the hole and hung her jacket next to Estella's. "Terribly sorry I'm late. Have you started elevensies without me?" 

"Rosie? I didn't know you were coming too. Sam and Stella are in the living room right now. I'm afraid that Pippin hasn't arrived yet. I'm sure he wouldn't think too kindly of me taking food out of his pantries so there isn't much I can offer you. But I do have an apple if you would like it."

"I would very much like it," Rosie stated as she grabbed the apple from Merry's hand. She then made her way into the living room and sat next to Estella. This whole predicament that he found himself in was beginning to seem an awful lot like the beginning of old Bilbo's adventure with Smaug and the dwarfs. It was suspicious . . . very very suspicious. Merry then shut the front door. But as soon as he made his way into the living room someone began knocking again. Merry let out a giggle. Things were beginning to get a little ridiculous. It was becoming quite funny. He didn't know who was at the door this time but he was sure that it wasn't Pippin . . . probably just another random hobbit here to wreak havoc in Pippin's hole. So he walked up to the door ready to invite whoever it was inside. He opened it and in front of him stood the last person he had ever thought he would see. Merry let out a surprised gasp as this unexpected visitor let himself inside.

"Gandalf the White at your service," he stated with his usual gruff voice. "Elevensies is half way through but I'm sure there's still time for you to prepare some eggs and sausages for me," he said while hanging his hat on the coat hook next to Rosie's and placing his staff on the floor. "And it's been so long since I've smoked any hobbit leaf. Do you think you could . . ." He was suddenly interrupted when Merry pounced onto him, knocking him to the ground, and then giving him a great big hug.

"GANDALF! GANDALF! IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE YOU," Merry shouted still atop Gandalf's fallen form. He had a huge smile on his face and was beginning to get a little misty-eyed. He quickly wiped the tears away. Whenever his vision blurred, even if it was just from a few happy tears, he couldn't help but remember the terrible visions that plagued his dreams and nearly killed him after he had stabbed the Witch-king on the Pelennor fields. It was an awful memory. He didn't want to think about it right now. 

"Gandalf, what are you doing here? How's Frodo . . . and Bilbo? I can't tell you how good it is to see you!" It had been years since Gandalf had gone to the Undying Lands and there hadn't been a day that went by when he didn't think about him. He then wrapped his arms even tighter around Gandalf who was trying to keep a straight face, but doing a rather poor job at it. He couldn't help but smirk. 

Then trying to keep his composure he was finally able to chisel a serious expression back on his features as he lifted Merry off of him, stood up, and then made his way into the living room and sat down on one of the small chairs . . . as if he had been expected. "Meriadoc Brandybuck! I would very much appreciate some pipe weed. It's been so long since I've had any," he stated with no further explanation.

"Right away," Merry stated as he hurried to find an extra pouch somewhere in Pippin's cluttered hole. He was sure that Pippin wouldn't mind . . . it was for Gandalf after all. Just then another knock came at the door. Merry immediately forgot about his pipe weed search and went to open it. As he did, a hobbit came walking in.

"Frodo Baggins at your service," he said as he hung his jacket next to Gandalf's hat. Merry simply stood completely still for a moment, just gawking. Then tears began to well up in his eyes again. He couldn't believe it. 

"FRODO! FRODO, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" He then harshly wrapped his arms around Frodo's neck and gave him a tight squeeze. He had never been so happy in his entire life. "FRODO . . . I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE HERE! I MISSED YOU SO MUCH!" Tears were now trickling down his face and his vision was very blurred but he didn't even notice. He gave Frodo another tight squeeze before leading him into the living room. He then stared at everyone with a bright smile. "What's going on?" he finally asked. "What are you all doing here?" He wiped away all his tears on his sleeves. And before anyone could answer his question another knock came at the door. "One moment. I'll be right back. And by the time I return I'll be expecting some sort of explanation for all of this." Then he turned around and headed to the door. He opened it and then heard the last thing he had ever expected to hear.

"Legolas Greenleaf at your service," he said in his overly cheerful elfin tongue. He then pranced into Pippin's hole, nearly knocking his head on the ceiling, took off his cloak and hung it up on another one of the many coat hooks in the hallway. Before he could say anything else Merry had tackled him and was in the process of giving him an enormous hug. "What in Middle-earth? MERRY, YOU'RE HUGE! You must be taller than Gimli," Legolas shouted in disbelief, eyeing Merry with complete and utter confusion. He began to laugh hysterically and returned the hug that Merry had given him. Suddenly Gimli peeked his head from around the edge of the doorway.

"Merry . . . taller than me?" he skeptically asked. "I doubt it!" He then walked into Pippin's hole and inspected Merry very closely. It was true! Merry was, in fact, almost an inch taller than Gimli. Gimli let out a gruff chuckle. Then ruffling Merry's hair he gave him a great big hug. "I can't tell you how good it is to see you," he said in between chuckles. Tears were pouring down Merry's face again. This was probably the happiest day of his life. "Come on, lad," Gimli grunted. "Don't cry or you're going to make me cry," he stated while trying to fight back tears.

"LEGOLAS! GIMLI!" Frodo shouted in mock anger as he made his way into the hallway. He then let out a huge laugh as he saw the three of them on the verge of tears. "Look at what you did! You ruined all of our plans. You were simply supposed to walk in, tell Merry that you were at his service, and then walk into the living room!"

"Yeah . . . but Merry just surprised us; That's all," Legolas retorted in between laughs. "We didn't know he was going to be so big! And then he tackled me! I couldn't just walk into the living room after that; I could barely breathe and I couldn't stop laughing."

"You laugh at anything, Legolas," Frodo sighed. "And if you had come to rehearsal like you were supposed all of this would've been explained. Merry and Pippin had drunk the ent-draughts when they were with Treebeard, remember? I explained all this at the rehearsal! That's why they're so big."

"But it was our first time in the Shire! Isn't that right, Gimli?" Gimli rapidly nodded his head in agreement.

". . . So?" Frodo asked in a confused tone.

"How can you expect us to go to a silly rehearsal when there's so much for us to explore? And not to mention all the frolicking we had to get in! I mean, there are so many fields here. What else are fields good for besides frolicking in?"

"uh . . . Planting crops?" Merry suggested. "But I can't imagine Gimli of all people frolicking!""Gimli is a spectacular frolicker, thank you very much," Legolas retorted while putting a hand on Gimli's shoulder. "He learned from the best," he said boastfully

"Darn straight," Gimli stated, holding his head up proudly.

"I'm sure he's mastered the art of frolicking after all the time he's spent with you, Legolas. I'm sure you've rubbed off on him," Frodo stated with a smile.

Merry let out a laugh. Then interrupting the conversation, he stated, "um . . . It's really good to see all of you but I'm really confused. What's all this talk of rehearsals? And when is Aragorn going to get here?"

"Aragorn? . . . Who said anything about Aragorn?" Gimli asked trying to hide the escaped smile on his lips.

"Oh . . . I just thought since everyone else was here that he was going to be coming too," Merry stated disappointedly. Just at that moment another hobbit opened the door and walked inside.

"Aragorn is the king of Gondor! He's too busy to come see an old ass like you." It was Pippin.

"PIPPIN!" Merry shouted. He completely disregarded the words that had just come from his lips; He was too excited to pay any attention to Pippin's 'old ass' insults today. 

"I don't know why but everyone's here, Pip. Gandalf's in the living room! And Frodo's here too!" He then grabbed both Frodo and Pippin and pulled them into a group hug. "And Legolas and Gimli are here," he shouted pointing to the duo beside the door. "But none of them will tell me what's going on. They just kind of showed up in front of your hole and walked in," Merry stated in between giggle fits. "But I wish that Aragorn came too. The fellowship's just not the same without him."

"I already told you. Aragorn is the king of Gondor. HE'S TOO BUSY TO COME SEE AN OLD ASS LIKE YOU," Pippin stated, very much stressing the last part of his statement.

"I suppose you're right, Pip," he said with a sigh. "Come on. Let's go in the living room. Everyone's in there." But Pippin didn't seem to be paying attention to a word Merry was saying. He had his back turned to him and was staring at the front door, seeming to be very flustered.

"I SAID, 'HE'S TOO BUSY TO COME SEE AN OLD ASS LIKE YOU!'" Pippin screamed. Merry was completely shocked. Never before had his best friend yelled at him like that. 

After several moments of awkward silence he was then able to stutter out, "Pi . . . Pippin? What's wrong?" Pippin turned away from the door for a moment and gestured towards Merry to hold on a moment.

He turned back to the door and shouted again, "I SAID, 'HE'S TOO BUSY TO COME SEE AN OLD ASS LIKE YOU!'" Merry didn't know what to make of the situation. He was so confused. All he could do was stare completely bewildered at Pippin.

"Pippin, I understand that Aragorn is very busy . . . But I don't appreciate you calling me an 'Old Ass' all the time."

"Merry, can this wait? I'm trying to take care of something," a very irritated Pippin stated. He then turned to the door and shouted one last time as loud as he possibly could, "I SAID, 'HE'S TOO BUSY TO COME SEE AN OLD ASS LIKE YOU!'" Pippin then waited in silence for several more moments as if he was expecting someone to open the door . . . but no one ever came. He let out a frustrated sigh and harshly pulled the door open. Then peaking around the corner he started whispering to whom it seemed was himself. Merry just stood there completely perplexed. He caught a few muffled tidbits of some of the things Pippin was saying. There was a mentioning of an absence at rehearsal and some sort of cue but Merry couldn't hear any other of Pippin's whispers

"Alright, Let's try this one more time," Pippin said as he pulled his head back into the hole and shut the door behind him. He then cleared his throat and announced very loudly, "HE'S TOO BUSY TO COME SEE AN OLD ASS LIKE YOU!" As soon as Pippin had finished talking the door opened.

"Aragorn, King of Gondor, at your service." Aragorn walked into the hole, nearly hitting his head on every ceiling post. He then bent down on his knees and embraced Merry tightly. They hugged for several moments until Merry finally pulled away.

Wiping the tears from his cheeks he looked around at everyone in the hallway and let out a snicker. "I want to know right now what all of you are doing here," he stated with mock annoyance. Everyone's eyes then seemed to wander in the direction of Pippin who was simply standing among the other members of the fellowship looking completely innocent of any mischief. But Merry wasn't fooled. He'd known his best friend far too long to be misled by his oh so cute and innocent charm.

"uh . . . Pip? Is there . . . uh . . . something you want to tell me?" Merry asked, not completely sure if he wanted to know the reasoning behind the earlier events. 

"Yeah . . . well . . ." Pippin began. "um . . . Whenever Bilbo would tell us about the beginning of his adventure with Smaug we would all laugh at him, remember? Because we'd always picture him running around Bad End trying to take care of thirteen dwarves who he never met in his life."

"Yeah, I remember. So what?" Merry said quite confused.

"Well, you were the one who always said that you probably would have done the same thing if you were in Bilbo's shoes . . . so I guess that I just wanted to see for myself what you would do."

Merry just stared at him in disbelief for a moment. "So basically what you're telling me is that you somehow got everyone together here just to rehearse a part of Bilbo's adventure. You went through all this trouble to make me look like an idiot? . . . Why am I not surprised?" 

"Oh Merry. I just wanted to come up with the most creative way to reunite you with the rest of the fellowship. We didn't do all this to make you look like an idiot. Anyway, that's not the point." Gandalf then walked out of the living room and stepped into the hallway.

"The point is you two have some unfinished business to take care of," he stated pointing at both Merry and Pippin. "Come on . . . Into the living room everyone. We have some planning to do." He then put an arm around Merry's shoulder and said, "Take a good look around Tuckborough, Meriadoc. This will be the last time you'll see it for quite a while. You and Peregrin have an adventure for which to prepare!" 

  
  


Should I continue? YAY or NAY? 


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